Vernon Davis traumatized by death of brother Vontae Davis, reveals possible cause of death: "Don’t know what to make of it"
Vernon Davis is lost for words after the untimely death of his younger brother, Vontae Davis. In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com’s Ben Ashford, the former All-Pro tight end said:
“This thing definitely caught me by surprise. I just don't know what to make of it.”
Vontae, a two-time Pro Bowler who played ten NFL seasons, passed away on April 1, 2024, at his home in Southwest Ranches, Florida. According to his older brother, the former cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, and Buffalo Bills collapsed or slipped after stepping out of a sauna.
His body was discovered by a housekeeper who saw him lying motionless on the floor. After an initial investigation, the authorities saw no traces of foul play. Vernon Davis added:
“I'm leaning on the detectives to figure it out but right now we have no answers. They are going to run tests and they said they'll get back to us. 'It could be as long as a month, a month and a half, until we know anything.”
The Dolphins selected Vontae Davis in the first round (25th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft. However, he made a significant impact with the Colts, earning back-to-back Pro Bowl selections in 2014 and 2015.
While he entered the league as a highly-touted defensive back, he abruptly quit at halftime during the Buffalo Bills’ 2018 Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He said he was “done” and did not play a single down in the NFL again.
His decision was an unpopular one among his teammates. But when he found an avenue to explain his sudden retirement, the younger Davis said:
“Reality hit me fast and hard: I shouldn't be out there anymore.”
After his playing career, Vontae Davis founded a wellness company, for which he is facing legal trouble. In November 2023, Greenwoods Equipment Finance claimed that Davis’ company missed monthly payments for a device that can make “no-cut facelifts.”
Vontae Davis’ ex-wife revealed he had CTE
A text message sent by Megan Harpe, Davis’ ex-wife, read:
“Yes he had CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) … there is definitely a story here.”
But he did not admit any concerns about brain injury to his older brother. Vernon Davis said:
“Maybe that's the case, maybe it's not. We don't really have an answer to that because there is no way to see into our brain while we live”
However, the former tight end did reveal that his brother was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder when they were growing up. Vernon Davis, who played 14 NFL seasons before retiring in February 2020, also mentioned that his younger brother didn’t manifest any signs of drug use.
While it’s inconclusive that Vontae Davis did have CTE, he was found asleep on a Florida highway after crashing his Tesla into a Toyota truck whose driver had pulled over for a tire change. Davis was coming home from a club and slept while driving his car.
He admitted to alcohol consumption when the authorities asked him. After pleading no contest, he received a 12-month probation and 50 hours of community service.